Helen Whately MP: written questions

237 published records · newest first.

Written questions

Labour Market: Coastal Areas and Rural AreasDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69967More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the labour market in (a) rural and (b) coastal communities.
Answer: My department has published a set of Impact Assessments that provide a comprehensive analysis on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This analysis is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
Unemployment: Young PeopleDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69966More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the number of young people not in education, employment or training.
Answer: My department has published a set of Impact Assessments that provide a comprehensive analysis on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This analysis is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
EmploymentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69965More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has conducted a sectoral analysis of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on employment levels.
Answer: My department has published a set of Impact Assessments that provide a comprehensive analysis on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This analysis is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
JobcentresDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69964More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the caseload of Jobcentre Plus offices.
Answer: My department has published a set of Impact Assessments that provide a comprehensive analysis on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This analysis is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
EmploymentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69963More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on levels of regional employment.
Answer: My department has published a set of Impact Assessments that provide a comprehensive analysis on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This analysis is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
Offensive Weapons: Animal WelfareHome OfficeTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67799More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the potential merits of introducing (a) specific criminal offences and (b) criminal sanctions for
Answer: In view of the ongoing concerns about the misuse of catapults, especially against wildlife, I have written to Dan Zeichner MP, the relevant Minister in DEFRA, who has responsibility for the protection of animals and birds.
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
Offensive Weapons: RegulationHome OfficeTabled 10 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66600More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has plans to review the regulation of (a) hand-held catapults and (b) slingshots with a wrist-brace attachment.
Answer: I have asked Home Office officials to keep the law in this area under review. There are existing powers available for the police to tackle the misuse of catapults for anti-social behaviour or against people or property.I understand that there is a particu...
Answered 18 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
Animal Welfare: Offensive WeaponsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66599More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many incidents of the use of catapults causing harm to wild mammals have been recorded in each of the last five years.
Answer: The Government takes wildlife crime seriously. Defra supports the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), which helps prevent and detect wildlife crime by obtaining and disseminating intelligence, undertaking analysis which highlights local or national threa...
Answered 18 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
Animal Welfare: Offensive WeaponsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66598More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to address the use of catapults in causing suffering to (a) pets and (b) wild mammals.
Answer: The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales. While it does not specifically include catapults in the list of weapons that must not be used to kill wildlife, it is still illegal to deliberately a...
Answered 18 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
Animal Welfare: Offensive WeaponsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66597More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has any plans to review the regulation of catapults in relation to animal welfare concerns.
Answer: The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales. While it does not specifically include catapults in the list of weapons that must not be used to kill wildlife, it is still illegal to deliberately a...
Answered 18 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
Animal Welfare: Offensive WeaponsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66596More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the legal (a) sale and (b) possession of catapults on animal welfare.
Answer: The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales. While it does not specifically include catapults in the list of weapons that must not be used to kill wildlife, it is still illegal to deliberately a...
Answered 18 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
Animal Welfare: ProsecutionsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66237More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of legislation for (a) deterring and (b) prosecuting people who attack (i) wildlife and (ii) livestock with catapults; an
Answer: The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales. While it does not specifically include catapults in the list of weapons that must not be used to kill wildlife, it is still illegal to deliberately a...
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record

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